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Cricket World Cup 2019: Kane Williamson lauds New Zealand's 'heart' in dramatic semi-final win over India

The Kiwis captain helped his team to a spectacular and unexpected victory over India to reach another World Cup final

Callum Rice-Coates

Wednesday 10 July 2019 17:54 BST

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England's cricketers practice at Edgbaston ahead of Thursday's World Cup semi-final against Australia

Kane Williamson has praised his New Zealand team for the “heart” they showed in their stunning World Cupsemi-final win over India at Old Trafford.

The Kiwis looked down and out at the beginning of their innings, but fought back through Williamson and Ross Taylor before rain stopped play on Tuesday.

And they bowled magnificently to prevent India from chasing down the required 240, dismissing Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul for just one run each.

New Zealand’s dramatic 18-run victory meant they reached a second successive World Cup final, and Williamson hailed the resilience of his teammates.

“It’s a different feeling to last time,” the Black Caps captain said. “We’ve had to skin it over the round robin, so it’s been quite different. A lot of heart has been shown by the guys so far but we’re keeping our feet on the ground. It was a great semi-final and we’re happy to be on the right side of it.

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

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1/22Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Martin Guptill 6

Had his say in the field after another batting failure, a superb direct hit to dismiss Dhoni. Never looked like lasting the new ball burst of Bumrah and Kumar, just about surviving a tight LBW appeal first ball and gone soon after pushing at a good Bumrah ball and held well by Kohli at second slip.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Henry Nicholls 6

Gritted his teeth and found some security in defence to grind his way to 28 but never looked particularly likely to go much further on. Bowled through the gate, defeated by sharp turn from Jadeja, who troubled him throughout his spell.

PA

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Kane Williamson 8

Again to the crease inside the first five overs, Williamson recorded another 50 although he was far from his fluent best, and fell trying to attack after a soporific, but vital, partnership with Taylor. Managed his bowlers well to defend an about par score, and took two very calm catches.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Ross Taylor 8

Not an innings that Taylor will look back on too fondly, but a vital score for his side under testing circumstances. He timed maybe one attacking shot, yet contextually this was a hugely important knock.

PA

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Jimmy Neesham 6

Promoted to push the score on, but it didn’t come off on a pitch on which attacking looked difficult. A moment of magnificence at backward point to remove Karthik, and bowled well enough, though will be grateful to Guptill for killing the contest before the final over.

Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Colin de Grandhomme 5

Another disappointing dismissal, trying to guide the ball to third man but cramped for room. A promising ten-ball 16, but New Zealand have needed more from him with the bat throughout the tournament.

Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Tom Latham 5

Pushed down below those meatier of blow and thus never had much time to make an impact with the bat.

AP

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Mitchell Santner 9

Magical spell with the ball, stymieing two expressive players and luring the big shot. Two key dismissals and remarkably economical until Jadeja thumped him twice.

Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Matt Henry 9

Started wonderfully, getting the big fish Sharma with a lovely length ball at off-stump with just enough movement away to take the edge, and then Rahul in similar fashion, before Neesham snared him a third. Closed strongly, too, just five coming from his last over at the death.

AP

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Trent Boult 8

Classic left-arm swing bowling to dismiss Kohli, two pushed across then the inswinger at the pads, India’s captain gone LBW. Got Jadeja as he threatened to single-handedly take India through as part of a fine spell-closing over.

Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Lockie Ferguson 7

Helped tie India down through the middle with his pace tough to take risks against, and sealed it at the death.

Action Images via Reuters

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Rohit Sharma 4

A failure for Rohit, reluctant to move his feet and thus defeated by a wobbly ball in the corridor from Henry.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

K.L. Rahul 4

Much like Rohit, a touch indecisive with his footwork and in his stroke and had his outside edge nibbled by Henry. He should really have left it.

AP

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Virat Kohli 4

Beaten by the inswing of Boult looking to flick through the leg-side, planting his foot too early across his stumps and LBW despite a review.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Rishabh Pant 6

A fighting knock of 32 under testing circumstances, but lured into Mitchell Santner’s trap all too easily, heaving riskily across the line and picking out the fielder in the deep. Greater situational maturity was needed.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Dinesh Karthik 4

More than 20 balls to get off the mark after being thrown into the fire, and he lasted few more after doing so, courtesy of a stunning grab from Jimmy Neesham.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Hardik Pandya 6

Tidy enough with the ball despite a mid-spell hip scare, using his slower balls well. Promised much with the bat, building to 32 and looking like he would stick around with Dhoni but Pandya too was suckered in by Santner, top edging to midwicket.

Action Images via Reuters

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Mahendra Singh Dhoni 6

A real struggle of a fifty from Dhoni, so reluctant to attack, and ultimately he left his charge much too late, putting too much pressure on Jadeja and then being defeated by a direct hit.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Ravindra Jadeja 10

One of the great all-round performances. He was the only batsman in either side to score freely for an extended period of time and took India to the brink of the most unlikely of victories. An excellent ten-over spell, turning one through the gate of Nicholls and then keeping Taylor and Williamson tied down. Simply magnificent in the field.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9

Set the tone from the very first ball, tough to get away early on and prying de Grandhomme later. Superb in grabbing two more at the death.

AP

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Yuzvendra Chahal 6

A middling performance with the ball, figures ruined somewhat by an expensive final over, though Chahal did get the wicket of Williamson.

AFP/Getty Images

Player ratings from New Zealand vs India - World Cup semi-final

Jasprit Bumrah 8

Superb with the new ball, superb at the death. Such accuracy and clarity in variation.

AP

“It was really tough batting conditions [on Tuesday]. We had to assess conditions quickly, I think both sides thought it would be a higher scoring game.

“We spoke about getting 240-250 and we knew that would be competitive. There were a lot of contributions from everyone to get us to that total. The guys were clinical at the back end to get us to a competitive total, perhaps without going too hard and finishing up with 210-220.”

New Zealand’s win was made possible by the blistering start of their opening bowlers. India were left floundering at 5-3 with just a few overs played, and the key wickets of Rohit and Kohli had fallen.

“We spoke about the conditions during the interval. We wanted to put the ball in good areas and move the ball around and put some pressure on India,” Williamson added. “They are a world-class side.

“It was a great start from the bowlers. We needed to stay in the game for long periods. Being under so much pressure, to take the game to a stage where they could potentially win, with the way they were hitting it with Jadeja and Dhoni, the effort from our bowlers was outstanding.”

Few expected New Zealand to beat India, particularly after they posted what appeared to be little more than a respectable total with the bat. But Williamson insisted the tag of underdogs was not a concern.

“Being underdogs coming into the semis didn’t mean too much as long as we’ve played our best cricket,” he said. “All these sides have beaten each other, we knew on our day anything can happen. It was a game of small margins, and it was nice of the guys to fight the way they did.”

New Zealand will play the winner of tomorrow’s semi-final between England and Australia at Lord’s on Sunday.

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